EckartF

Thanks, Jacques. "Pretty tired" in that the machi look ground down? Or are there other features that point you to that opinion? I've read some of the older threads on "tiredness" and see a lot of mention of shingane. To my eye, there aren't dull patches as such, but perhaps that's the point others above have made about hadori hiding those? Regarding the suriage, you conclude that from the hamon trailing down just beyond the machi as opposed to "continuing" deep into the nakago? Is that correct? Thanks for any further pointers-- particularly if any literature you think worthwhile on the wear/tiring effects of polishing.

Thanks for the further questions. I think these are down to my poor photos more than the blade or fittings though. My own photos under terrible lighting follow:

Thanks Guido, understood. I was delighted to find that the real blade is in a museum (so that question was put to rest fairly decisively). A very tiny lacquer chip came off one of the corners. The lacquer chip doesn't act like acrylic in that it won't soften to methylated spirits. I rubbed the chip against porcelain and got back a yellowed streak. Nor is it magnetic. But my 8th grade chemistry ends there. Is there anything more to be learnt from the blade itself? Or are the photos simply too poor?

Thanks, could you explain more? The kinpunmei issue I can follow pretty well. The nakago bit I'm out of my depth as a beginner. How do you identify the shortening? Is the issue that the sword geometry itself implies it never had the length to require shortening? Thanks for any more detail.

Ken, thanks. Adding one further photo per request. Lighting is poor but the shape is reasonably clear.

Hello all, I'm a new member here also new to collecting. Perhaps like some others here, I dove straight in with a purchase and used that to drive more serious study of available literature. With that said, I'm at a point with too many variables to push my own understanding further without external input. I've added the photos that to my mind show useful detail-- quality isn't great. I can add a few more I took myself which are poor in different ways. I bought this blade a few months ago as it it simply spoke to me-- I find the koshirae simple but elegant. From what I understand, the koshirae is later than the blade itself. The nagasa is 66.3cm. There are no origami. Now that I understand the attribution characters, I don't find the attribution credible. But I am trying to understand more about it and how to proceed, i.e. do I submit it for judgement? Is it simply likely to be rejected because of the attribution? Latter isn't a huge concern other than as a hindrance to learning more about it. Thanks in advance for any thoughts, and I'm very much looking forward to learning more from you all. Eckart

Hello all, I'm Eckart, a new member here from Singapore with a Japan fascination. I'm excited to have found this forum for learning about Japanese edged blades. From what I've read thus far, I'm happy to discover I'm at least not alone in diving in first by purchasing a sword and then later finding more serious literature and commentary. I'm very much at the beginning and am currently trying to understand attribution types (ato mei vs. kinpun mei vs. gimei generally!) and the different reasons that drove them. While I'm hoping to learn a bit more about my own blade from members here, I'd be grateful if anyone has pointers for a community events in Singapore. Thanks for establishing and keeping this community vibrant! EF